Toad Fishing for Basshttp://toadproducts.com
If we are not in we are at the LakeFri, 24 Jun 2016 16:07:40 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.13Keep Fit for Fighting the Fish: Stay in Shape with Exercises for Fishinghttp://toadproducts.com/keep-fit-for-fighting-the-fish-stay-in-shape-with-exercises-for-fishing/
http://toadproducts.com/keep-fit-for-fighting-the-fish-stay-in-shape-with-exercises-for-fishing/#respondFri, 24 Jun 2016 16:06:15 +0000http://toadproducts.com/?p=39Any activity can be a strain on your body, fishing is no exception. Whether you are working the line, repeatedly casting, moving kit, starting the boat, all of this has the potential to cause injury putting you on the side line for a few weeks, if not months.

Your best chance of beating injury is prevention, rather than cure (although we know plenty of people that swear by Inversion Tables to keep them in shape).

The trick to keeping yourself in shape is constancy, do a little exercise, a few stretches and some weights regular and you will easily stay in shape.

think of myself as a fairly fit guy. But I have had my share of bumps and bruises along the way. One season I felt the crippling effects of “flippers elbow.” Being a dyed-in-the-wool largie guy, a reliance on this particular technique – and the repetitive motion it involves – left me with a taped up elbow, on pain meds, and barely able to lift my prized flipping stick for a few weeks. That was a tough pill to swallow.

Last year came more news. Having had pain in my left shoulder since Christmas, a visit to the doctor and an ultrasound gave me the answers. I was diagnosed with calcific tendinosis of the supraspinatous tendon causing mild impingement. I also had thickening of the subacromion and subdeltoid bursa. It all became clear what the route cause of this was after my first visit to my physiotherapist. Her words still ring in my head over a week later: “you have terrible posture!” Combine that “terrible posture” with 23 years of working a tiller motor, and over time, the injury has manifested itself. The thickening of the muscle was a clear sign of how much strain is put on the shoulder from repeated turns of an outboard – year in and year out.

Fortunately, an injury of this type can be corrected through strength conditioning and working the muscles and tendons in different angles. Luckily, bass season was still five months away!

These two stories are meant to illustrate how important staying in shape is, and how being conscious of correct body posture and alignment, while utilizing workouts gear towards strengthening and stretching exercises, can lead to a risk-free and more enjoyable time on the water.

Start Small

Take a look in the mirror and eye up your posture. After talks with my physiotherapist, bad posture is one of the leading causes of injury and soreness. It takes a conscious effort to correct this one, but once you do, the change you feel is immeasurable.

As anglers, we utilize a lot of movement when working a boat or casting a line. Get into the habit of stretching before each fishing trip, and again at the end. This will help in loosening up muscles, and will lessen the chance of strain.

Work on the key muscle groups. Shoulders, forearms, and abdominal all come into play when casting. Legs take a beating when working trolling motors and through hours of standing. Weight lifting, daily walks, and yoga can all help in strengthening key body parts, while improving stamina and ability.

Eat healthy. Not only at home but in the boat. Long gone are the days of chips, pop, and chocolate bars in my boat. Adequate water, healthy snacks, and a nutritious meal will not only make you feel better, but also perform better.

Make this season the one that change happens in your life. An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.

* Please consult with your physician before beginning any fitness or weight lifting plan or activity.

]]>http://toadproducts.com/keep-fit-for-fighting-the-fish-stay-in-shape-with-exercises-for-fishing/feed/0Bright Blue Line ID Identifies Braided Fishing Linehttp://toadproducts.com/bright-blue-line-id-identifies-braided-fishing-line/
http://toadproducts.com/bright-blue-line-id-identifies-braided-fishing-line/#respondSun, 12 Jun 2016 15:00:11 +0000http://toadproducts.com/?p=308 Fishing Line Identifiers for 10-80 Pound Braided Fishing Line. Toad Product’s innovative Fishing Line Identifiers easily attaches to the handle of your rods and is a quick and easy way to identify and remember what type of line and size you have spooled on your reel. Many anglers carry multiple rod/reel combinations in their rig for a variety of fishing applications. These applications require specific line type and line size and our Line Identifiers are a great tool to remind the angler what line is currently spooled. For most anglers it is nearly impossible to remember what size and type of line is spooled especially when using Monofilament and Fluorocarbon as they look exactly alike. And try remembering the size of line on your spool! The difference between 12lb and 15lbs test is hard to decipher with the naked eye and the right line size could make all the difference between catching and landing that trophy fish.

Plus our Fishing Line Identifiers can provide a simple way to manage your line allowing you to remember what line is old and fresh. This will allow you to replace line only when needed saving you $$. (tip; place band on butt of the rod for new line, older line place band up near the handle). Our Fishing Line Identifiers are a solution anglers have been searching for decades. Simple, durable and long lasting, our I.D. Bands are the solution to manage your fishing line.

]]>http://toadproducts.com/bright-blue-line-id-identifies-braided-fishing-line/feed/0Stealth Flipping Jighttp://toadproducts.com/stealth-flipping-jig/
http://toadproducts.com/stealth-flipping-jig/#respondSun, 12 Jun 2016 14:58:48 +0000http://toadproducts.com/?p=28Similar to our Barrel Head Jig, our new Stealth Flipping Jig is designed to hook the fish in the roof of the mouth resulting in more landed fish. Its unique head design slips through cover like no other heavy cover jig and does not roll over resulting in a more life-like presentation and less snags. We are so confident that you will catch more fish with our Stealth Flippin Jigs, we will refund your money if you are not completely satisfied. Designed with an extra large 5/0 Mustad Flippin hook, the Stealth Jig is available in 3/8 and 1/2 oz sizes and available with eight different skirt colors.

]]>http://toadproducts.com/stealth-flipping-jig/feed/0Bass Fishing Newsletterhttp://toadproducts.com/bass-fishing-newsletter/
http://toadproducts.com/bass-fishing-newsletter/#respondSun, 12 Jun 2016 14:49:19 +0000http://toadproducts.com/?p=23When do you use monofilament vs. fluorocarbon vs. braid?
With all the different types of fishing lines available it is difficult to know what line to use for each lure type and water conditions. For years, millions of Bass were caught using only monofilament but today you put yourself at a disadvantage if you stay with one type of line. There are three basis line types; monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid/superline. In the world of Bass fishing, I am going to provide my reasons for choosing a specific line for the conditions and the techniques use to catch America’s # 1 game fish.

Monofilament – Monofilament remains the number one choice by anglers although it is losing favor to fluorocarbon with many of today’s Professional Anglers. Monofilament has the most stretch of the all the types of lines and in some situations this is a huge benefit. Monofilament is king when fishing topwater baits as the stretch allows a slight delay in the hook set, giving the bass time to inhale the bait (or keeping you from pulling it away too fast). Plus monofilament floats unlike its counterpart, fluorocarbon, allowing topwater baits to work as designed. I still prefer monofilament for many fast action baits such as spinnerbaits, rattle traps, spoons and swimbaits. It is also great for pitchin and flippin in heavy cover. Key benefits of monofilament are its’ low cost, ease of use and long lasting. Monofilament is a supple line that is easy to cast and has minimal memory (small loops created from the reel spool after use) allowing the angler to cast longer and more effectively. The knock on monofilament from today’s pros is it has too much stretch, visible (compared to fluoro) and in some applications, it’s floating properties

– this line has gained popularity with many anglers because it is practically invisible to fish. The pros #1 choice for clear water, fluorocarbon has less stretch compared to monofilament providing better feel and hook ups when fishing deep water. Because the line sinks, it is a must when I am throwing crankbaits and jerkbaits to maximize their effectiveness. Both fluorocarbon and monofilament are great for heavy cover conditions, but I prefer fluorocarbon because the minimal stretch provides better feel and fluorocarbon is more abrasive resistant. The down side to fluorocarbon is the cost and longevity. At least twice the cost of monofilament, fluorocarbon creates a lot of memory after use and needs to be replaced more often. Some brands are more supple than others so trial and error may help you settle on a brand that meets your needs.

Braid/Superline – there are many types of braided lines but they all are made of strands of fiber that create the toughest line in the industry. Manufacturers are able to create extremely fine diameters with enhanced strength resulting in 50 lb test line having the diameter of 12lb monofilament. Because of the toughness of the line and no stretch many anglers prefer for fishing in heavy cover, especially in stained water conditions. I use braid when I am fishing deep ledges in the summer in clear lakes and tie and 6-8’ fluorocarbon leader. This combo provides great feel and improved hook ups when fishing in 20 feet or more. It is also a good choice for a Carolina rig, with a fluorocarbon leader. The down side to braid is its’ poor casting performance and it is highly visible. Plus it is tougher on your equipment (guides, reel gears) than the other styles.

Other Considerations – Knots are an important part of your fishing day and learning specific knots for each type of line is critical. I use the Polamor knot for all of my monofilament needs. This knot is OK for fluorocarbon but I would recommend upgrading for better results. I use a Double San Diego knot for fluorocarbon and in my testing this knot is far superior that the Polamor. Braided line has the worst reputation with knot strength and many anglers will not use because of this problem. Many anglers use super glue to ensure the knot will not slip. I recommend the snell knot or whip finish knot for braided line (no need for glue).

]]>http://toadproducts.com/fishing-line-identifier/feed/0Bass Fishing Jig – Barrel Head Jig Advantages vs. Football Jigshttp://toadproducts.com/bass-fishing-jig-barrel-head-jig-advantages-vs-football-jigs/
http://toadproducts.com/bass-fishing-jig-barrel-head-jig-advantages-vs-football-jigs/#respondSun, 12 Jun 2016 14:26:15 +0000http://toadproducts.com/?p=14Barrel Head Jig is the most revolutionary jig in the industry today. Our innovative design will result in more landed fish for fisherman of all skill levels. Our jig design is so advanced we guarantee you will hook the fish in the roof of the mouth or we will refund your money! Our unique head design stands up in the mouth of the fish and does not roll over like traditional jigs resulting in more landed fish. The Barrel Head Jig has incredible life-like action as the jig falls naturally without spiraling (like football jigs) resulting in more strikes plus our jig is extremely weedless outperforming traditional football and round head jigs as a result of the unique wide head design. The jig slips through rocks with ease and does not roll over when pulled through brush, cables and other debris. Barrel Head Jigs are designed with extra large 5/0 Mustad® ULTRA-POINT™ Hooks and 54 strand life-like skirts with easy on-easy off rattle system. The Barrel Head Shakey Head models are designed with a heavy-duty built-in screw-loc for securing your favorite plastic bait and we offer a Heavy Weight design in two sizes for over-sized plastics when fishing deep ledges.